News updates are sent daily. You can unsubscribe at any time.
Notre Dame defense picks up slack in big win
Digg|
Save|
License|
Print|
E-mail|
Top-ranked Scottsdale Notre Dame relied on ferocious defensive play to fend off Phoenix Moon Valley’s gritty homecoming effort, winning 28-9 on Friday in a 4A-II Black Canyon II Region game at Moon Valley.
SLIDESHOW: Friday night high school football
Notre Dame improved to 6-0 on the season, 2-0 in region play despite having the ball for 10 minutes less than Moon Valley and gaining only 143 total yards of offense.
Saints coach Scot Bemis blamed “a lot of little things we did very poorly” on the team’s dull offensive showing.
Little things like botched snaps, penalties and a quirky play in which quarterback Shane Wolfe caught his own deflected pass at the Saints’ one-yard line.
It didn’t matter because the Notre Dame defense was more than up to the task. The Saints smothered Rockets quarterback Bailey Marshall, sacking him eight times, often in crucial third-down situations.
Notre Dame forced two fumbles from Moon Valley tailback Brian Ramirez, once inside the Rockets end zone where Notre Dame linebacker Andrew Stutz jumped on the loose ball for a touchdown.
Stutz, who Bemis acknowledged was instrumental in the Saints’ success, also rushed for 102 yards and two touchdowns on 20 carries despite sustaining an injury.
Moon Valley averaged just 2.5 yards-per-carry and threw for 66 yards on 15 attempts.
The Saints will venture out of Arizona for their next game, heading to Kentfield, Calif. on Friday to play Marin Catholic.
Please add your comments, but follow these guidelines to keep this a safe, credible place for discussing the news: